Ophthalmic mounting



Sept. 29, 1936. SPLNNE 2,055,914

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Filed Sept. 9, 1935 INVENTOR E 681mg! IYLSpIame.

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Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPHTHALMIC MOUNTINGApplication September 9, 1935, Serial No. 89,740

3Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings and hasparticular reference to improved means for connecting the lens holdingmeans of said mountings.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a bridgemember for connecting the lens holding means of an ophthalmic mountingwhich will be exceptionally rigid and durable and yet desirable from anaesthetical viewpoint.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means forreinforcing the means for connecting the lens holding means of anophthalmic mounting whereby the said reinforcing means will be solocated relative to the connecting means and to the lens holding meansthat it will be substantially invisible when the mounting is viewed fromthe front. 1'

Another object of the invention is to'provide a bridge member forconnecting the lens holding means of an ophthalmic mounting whereby thecentral arch portion of the bridge will be reinforced and braced againstmovement up or down or sideways relative to the lens holding meansduring use.

Another object is to provide an ophthalmic mounting designed moreparticularly to withstand rough usage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, and it will be apparent that many changes and modifications inthe arrangement and construction of parts shown and described may bemade without departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed inthe accompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to theexact details of construction and arrangements shown and described asthe preferred form only has been shown by way of illustration.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. I is a front elevation of an ophthalmic mounting embodying theinvention;

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the mounting shown in Fig. I; and

Fig. III is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IIIIII of Fig. I. i

The present invention is directed to the provision of an ophthalmicmounting adapted more particularly for use by children and which is'designed to withstand rough usage. when the corrective lenses have acylindrical or prismatic correction incorporated therein for thecorrection of astigmatism or muscular defects, the axes of the lensesmust be held in accurate prescribed position before the eyes. With Ininstances most prior art structures much dimculty has been encounteredin having the mounting become bent and distorted during use with aresult that the lenses would be displaced from their prescribed axialpositions before the eyes and cause serious ocular defects.

It has been found by past experience that the bending of the bridgeportion of the mounting was perhaps more effective in displacing thelenses than any other part of the mounting and it, therefore, is one ofthe primary objects of this invention to provide a bridge for connectingthe lens holding means of ophthalmic mountings wherein the central archportion as well as the connections to the lens holding means will begreatly reinforced, and yet be pleasing and desirable from theaesthetical viewpoint.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the device embodying the invention comprises a relatively rigid centralarch portion I having, as shown in Fig. I, downwardly curving endportions 2 which terminate in depending braces 3 attached at I to thelens holding means 5. The lens holding means in this instance are in theform of metallic eyewires divided at 6 and provided with endpiecemembers i and 8 for securing the divided ends 6 together to hold thelenses 9 in the rims. The central arch portion i, as shown in Figs. 11and III, is provided with a reinforcing crossbar l0 secured to the rearthereof substantially throughout its length by solder or other suitablemeans. The crossbar I0 is provided adjacent its ends with upwardlyextending braces H which are shaped to engage the rear of the lens rims5 and are secured thereto along their engaging faces, as indicated. atH, by solder or other suitable means. Theportions of the braces i Isecured to the lens rims or holding means 5 are shaped to the adjacentcontour of said rims or holding means and are substantially invisiblewhen the mounting is viewed from the front. This also applies to thecentral crossbar portion II! which lies in the rear of the central archportion i of the bridge.

It is particularly pointed out that the ends 4 attached to the lensholding means are secured to the periphery of the nasal edges of thelens holding means and lie substantially in the plane of the lenses,while the outwardly extending portions ll of the crossbar iii aresecured to the rear oflset points of attachment in directions bothupwardly and downwardly and sidewise and thereby provides greatresistance to strain in wardly and extend downwardly substantiallyto theangle of the sides of the nose. The portions 3 are in spaced relationwith the adjacent edge portions of the lens holding-means or rims U andprovide a clearance wherein the guard arms i3, supporting the noseguards l4, may be located and attached to said lens holding means orrims.

The portion i0 is curved or cupped to clear 1 the nose of the wearer andadjacent its ends is curved rearwardly substantially to the ends 2 ofthe central arch portion wherein it extends upwardly and forwardly at Hto engage the rear of the lens holding means or rims 5. The upwardlyextending portions II are provided along their sides adjacent the lensholding means or rims 5 with relatively long contacting surfaces whichare secured, substantially throughout their lengths, as illustrated atI2, to the rear of the lens holding means to provide positive and rigidconnections.

As previously stated, the central arch portion I and crossbar l 0 aresecured in superimposed relation with each other throughout theinterengag- 'ing surfaces thereof, as illustrated at N, and providedouble strength throughout this portion of the bridge.

The brace members II and 3 provide rigid and durable connections withthe lens holding means, and when combined with the reinforced centralarch portion I, provide a rigid and durable structure. j

The solder connections at the rear of the mounting, as illustrated at H,combined with the solder connections at the peripheral edges of the lensholding means or rims 5, as illustrated at 4, and lying in difierentplanes, provide means whereby the various parts will maintain theirfitted and assembled relation with each other during use. i

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have providedsimple, eflicient and economical means of obtaining all the objects andadvantages of the invention, particularly that of providing a more rigidand durable bridge connection for supporting the lens holding means ofophthalmic mountings and which is pleasing and desirable from theaesthetical standpoint.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A bridge for connecting the lens holding means of an ophthalmic mountingcomprising a central arch portion curving rearwardly adjacent its endsto downwardly extendingportions secured adjacent their ends to theperipheral edges oi the lens holding means and a reinforcing srace barhaving a portion shaped substantially to the general shape of thecentral arch portion and secured to said portion and having upwardlyextending brace portions terminating in ends attached to the lensholding means, the attaching ends of the downwardly extending portionsof the bridge member being secured to the peripheral edges of. the'lensholding means and theupwardly extending portions of the brace bar beingsecured to the rear of the lens holding means.

2.,.A bridge for connecting the lens holding means of an ophthalmicmounting comprising a central arch portion curving rearwardly adjacentits ends to downwardly extending portions secured adjacent their ends tothe lens holding means and a reinforcing brace-bar having a portionshaped substantially to thegeneral shape of the central arch portion andsecured to said portion and having outwardly extending brace portionsterminating in ends attached to the lens holding means, "one set of oneor the other of the attaching .ends of the respective downwardlyextending portions and the attaching ends of the outwardly extendingportions being secured to the peripheral edges of the lens holding meansand the other set to the rear of the lens holding means.

3. A bridge for connecting the lens holding means of an ophthalmicmounting comprising a central arch portion curving rearwardly adjacentits ends to relatively long downwardly defiected portions lyingsubstantially in the plane of the lens holding means and securedadjacent their ends to said lens holding means and a reinforcing bracebar having a portion shaped substantially to the general shape of thecentral arch portion throughout the length of said portion and securedto said portion in the rear thereof so as to be substantially invisiblewhen the mounting is viewed from the front and having outwardlyextending brace portions tenninating in ends attached to the lensholding means at points removed from the attaching ends of saiddownwardly deflected portions of the central arch portion and providingmeans for supporting the central arch portion against bending in or outrelative to the plane of the lens holding means about the attaching endsof the downwardly deflected portions during use.

EDWARD M. SPLAINE.

